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WATCH: The TARDIS Receives Royal Visit, Prince Charles Does a Dalek Voice

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles flanked by Daleks on the Cardiff set of ‘Doctor Who’ (Photo: BBC)

Today (July 3), one of Britain’s greatest institutions got a little more British: Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall paid a visit to the set of Doctor Who this morning, where they got up close with the inner workings of the TARDIS and a few of the Doctor’s most formidable foes. His Royal Highness even tried his hand at being a Dalek. Watch and listen:

Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman served as the royal couple’s tour guides around the TARDIS. Here’s a bit of that:

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles in the TARDIS with Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman. (Photo: BBC)

“It was great to welcome The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to set today,” Matt Smith remarked about the visit. “Showing them how to fly the TARDIS was a real treat and something I never thought I would be doing when I first took on the role. The Prince of Wales said he remembers watching the show when he was 15 and seemed very knowledgeable on the Who history, so it’s nice to think they are watching.”

Jenna Coleman added, “Meeting The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall today was such an honor. The Prince was particularly interested in the mechanics of how the TARDIS works and the storyline for the upcoming 50th anniversary special, but I didn’t give too many secrets away.”

This royal visit is part of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary celebrations, and the couple met with crew members from all disciplines on set, including the costume designer, storyboard artist, set decorators, and yes, lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. It was the first royal visit to the set since Doctor Who moved to the new Roath Lock studios in Cardiff back in March 2012.

Kevin Wicks

Kevin Wicks founded BBCAmerica.com's Anglophenia blog back in 2005 and has been translating British culture for an American audience ever since. While not British himself - he was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri - he once received inordinate hospitality in London for sharing the name of a dead but beloved EastEnders character. His Anglophilia stems from a high school love of Morrissey, whom he calls his "gateway drug" into British culture.

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America’s British population has taken to the web to voice its displeasure at news that U.S. candy giant Hershey has successfully blocked our much loved U.K.-produced chocolate from being exported to the land of the free.